Course-Embedded Assignment Reflection for EDLD 5362
Self–Assessment
The internet has change the way everything is done at home, work, and school. It has given us access to the entire world through the information superhighway as previous Vice President Al Gore termed the internet in the 1990’s. The internet has come a long way since that time. I remember being introduced to the internet in 1996 when I opened my first email account with America Online (AOL). I was very excited about the antiquated computer with dial-up access. When I heard the sound of my 56K modem change tones which meant that I would soon be surfing the web, at a turtle’s pace, it gave me an adrenaline rush. Can you imagine the rush that I get now with broadband, 2G, 3G and 4G speeds? I was a United States Army Recruiter at this time and one of the students, from high school, was the first person to teach me how to accomplish this task. Things haven’t changed much because students are still teaching teachers about the internet. Out of the mouths of babes, “I think… [school] would be a lot better if parents and older people would get more information about the Internet, because, I mean…I don’t blame them, because they didn’t grow up with the Internet…I think that if there was a better understanding from parents and older people than I think education would skyrocket a lot.”– High School Boy (Levin & Arafeh, 2002, p.5). I now have fifteen years of experience on the internet and one class from a Masters in Technology Educational Leadership which is a huge addition to my knowledge and experience. This knowledge and experience has closed the gap between me and my students.
Learn as a Learner I interviewed a teacher that has 30 plus years of teaching in the states of Louisiana and Texas combined. She stated that she doesn’t know how she would handle not having access to the internet and doesn’t want to know. She also stated that it took her some time getting accustomed to using the internet. Her initial reaction was that of nervousness and rejection of the internet. Once her hand was forced into learning and using the internet against her will, she was extremely happy with it. Before the internet she used a paper grade and attendance book. Now the grades and attendance are input into a system called the Teacher Access System (TAC). The TAC, in her own words, saved a lot of trees. The students’ personal information and academic information is included. Only the teachers who actually teach that student have access to this information. This information is accessible from the privacy of your own home, so, grades can be completed at home. The principal always uses the internet to communicate with faculty and staff. Very few items are put into the teacher’s inbox. If there is anything important place into the inbox, everyone will be notified with an email. District forms are electronic and can be completed online. You don’t have to keep them on file or ask a department for them. Sub finder is an online program that is used to request a sub from the convenience of your home. You still have to sign a paper copy of your request once you return to work. There are no longer paper copies of pay vouchers issued because we have access to all personnel items online. This includes payroll history, leave balances, W2 form information, and contact information can be maintained. There is very little need to call the District office because it’s all at your fingertips. Last but not least we have access to a lot of instructional resources such as lesson plans, online databases, encyclopedias, United Streaming and free resources for teachers to educate our students. These are the tools that create the Internet-Savvy students mentioned in the Pew Internet and American Life Project. “The ways in which Internet-savvy students speak about the Internet in relation to their schooling is closely related to the daily tasks and activities in their young lives. In other words, the Internet’s value for students is determined by the tasks they need to complete, the things they enjoy, and the things they want to learn both in and out of school.” Public schools in the United States have come a long way with more work to be accomplished. “By the fall of 2000, almost all public schools in the United States had access to the internet: 98 percent were connected. In comparison, 35 percent of public schools had access to the Internet in 1994. Unlike in previous years, there were virtually no differences in school access to the Internet by school characteristics (e.g., poverty level and metropolitan status) in 1999 or 2000.”
Lifelong Learning Skills
For as long as there is technology, there will be learning. These experiences have given me the skills to teach on a level that students will embrace and to enhance the environment by modeling the importance of technology for teachers. Solomon and Schrum stated, “One thing is certain: we are at the very beginning of this evolution and many of you reading this book will be creating new ideas and projects that others will want to hear about, P97. This is exactly what my college associates and I did for each other on discussion boards, wikis, PSAs, etc., created new ideas and projects that others will want to hear about and apply.
Self–Assessment
The internet has change the way everything is done at home, work, and school. It has given us access to the entire world through the information superhighway as previous Vice President Al Gore termed the internet in the 1990’s. The internet has come a long way since that time. I remember being introduced to the internet in 1996 when I opened my first email account with America Online (AOL). I was very excited about the antiquated computer with dial-up access. When I heard the sound of my 56K modem change tones which meant that I would soon be surfing the web, at a turtle’s pace, it gave me an adrenaline rush. Can you imagine the rush that I get now with broadband, 2G, 3G and 4G speeds? I was a United States Army Recruiter at this time and one of the students, from high school, was the first person to teach me how to accomplish this task. Things haven’t changed much because students are still teaching teachers about the internet. Out of the mouths of babes, “I think… [school] would be a lot better if parents and older people would get more information about the Internet, because, I mean…I don’t blame them, because they didn’t grow up with the Internet…I think that if there was a better understanding from parents and older people than I think education would skyrocket a lot.”– High School Boy (Levin & Arafeh, 2002, p.5). I now have fifteen years of experience on the internet and one class from a Masters in Technology Educational Leadership which is a huge addition to my knowledge and experience. This knowledge and experience has closed the gap between me and my students.
Learn as a Learner
I interviewed a teacher that has 30 plus years of teaching in the states of Louisiana and Texas combined. She stated that she doesn’t know how she would handle not having access to the internet and doesn’t want to know. She also stated that it took her some time getting accustomed to using the internet. Her initial reaction was that of nervousness and rejection of the internet. Once her hand was forced into learning and using the internet against her will, she was extremely happy with it.
Before the internet she used a paper grade and attendance book. Now the grades and attendance are input into a system called the Teacher Access System (TAC). The TAC, in her own words, saved a lot of trees. The students’ personal information and academic information is included. Only the teachers who actually teach that student have access to this information. This information is accessible from the privacy of your own home, so, grades can be completed at home.
The principal always uses the internet to communicate with faculty and staff. Very few items are put into the teacher’s inbox. If there is anything important place into the inbox, everyone will be notified with an email.
District forms are electronic and can be completed online. You don’t have to keep them on file or ask a department for them. Sub finder is an online program that is used to request a sub from the convenience of your home. You still have to sign a paper copy of your request once you return to work. There are no longer paper copies of pay vouchers issued because we have access to all personnel items online. This includes payroll history, leave balances, W2 form information, and contact information can be maintained. There is very little need to call the District office because it’s all at your fingertips.
Last but not least we have access to a lot of instructional resources such as lesson plans, online databases, encyclopedias, United Streaming and free resources for teachers to educate our students. These are the tools that create the Internet-Savvy students mentioned in the Pew Internet and American Life Project. “The ways in which Internet-savvy students speak about the Internet in relation to their schooling is closely related to the daily tasks and activities in their young lives. In other words, the Internet’s value for students is determined by the tasks they need to complete, the things they enjoy, and the things they want to learn both in and out of school.”
Public schools in the United States have come a long way with more work to be accomplished. “By the fall of 2000, almost all public schools in the United States had access to the internet: 98 percent were connected. In comparison, 35 percent of public schools had access to the Internet in 1994. Unlike in previous years, there were virtually no differences in school access to the Internet by school characteristics (e.g., poverty level and metropolitan status) in 1999 or 2000.”
Lifelong Learning Skills
For as long as there is technology, there will be learning. These experiences have given me the skills to teach on a level that students will embrace and to enhance the environment by modeling the importance of technology for teachers. Solomon and Schrum stated, “One thing is certain: we are at the very beginning of this evolution and many of you reading this book will be creating new ideas and projects that others will want to hear about, P97. This is exactly what my college associates and I did for each other on discussion boards, wikis, PSAs, etc., created new ideas and projects that others will want to hear about and apply.
References
Levin, D., & Arafeh, S. (2002). The digital disconnect. The widening gap between internet savvy students and their schools. Pew Internet and American Life Project. P5. http://pewinternet.org/~/media/Files/Reports/2002/PIP_Schools_Internet_Report.pdf
Internet Access in U.S. Public Schools and Classrooms: 1994-2000, ies National Center for Education Statistics. http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2001/internetaccess/2.asp
Solomon, G., & Schrum, L. (2007). Web 2.0: New tools, new schools. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education. P97
Embedded Course Reflections